Angry residents protest housing shortages and mass tourism in the major city

Barcelona's mayor says tourist taxes are still not high enough as Spain's mass tourism and holiday rental crisis continues to fuel loud, angry protests by residents.

Housing protests escalate in the big city as new residents reveal the reality on the ground

Rising tensions between tourists and locals have reached a boiling point in Spain recently as hundreds of thousands of residents have taken to the streets of Barcelona, Madrid and other Spanish cities to protest skyrocketing housing costs.

The housing affordability crisis is at the center of the unrest, fueled in part by short-term vacation rentals — an issue Barcelona Mayor Jaume Colboni has addressed publicly.

Residents argue that mass tourism has priced them out, as real estate companies turn the apartments into lucrative vacation rentals. The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, recently addressed this issue at an event in Barcelona.

Angry locals blocked the famous beach as mass tourism protests escalated in the holiday hotspot

"It's a city that a lot of people want to live in. There's a lot of pressure on available housing."

September protests target expansion of Barcelona-El Prat airport over environmental and tourism fears (Javier Mostasero Carrera)

According to the Barcelona Tourism Observatory, Barcelona and the surrounding area will welcome a total of 26.1 million visitors in 2025, generating around $15.4 billion in direct tourism spending.

Frustrated locals have protested loudly and defiantly.

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Amid the pressure, federal and local governments are trying to make changes.

"Barcelona launched a tourism overhaul in 2017," Sustainable Tourism Commissioner José Antonio Donaire told The New York Times this summer.

"But the message of the city now is: not one more tourist," he said.

Barcelona's world-renowned architecture has made it a popular European destination for many. (iStock)

After his death on October 7, thousands took to the streets in Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, Hospital de Llobregat, Malaga and other cities.

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Short-term vacation rentals are part of the dispute.

On April 1, Barcelona combined a city fee of $5.60 (€5.00) with Catalonia's regional tourism tax, creating one of the highest visitor taxes in Europe, according to Barcelona City Council.

Travel writer Jordi Lip McGraw, pictured above, says her neighborhood in Barcelona is largely protected from local protests. (Jordy Lip-McGraw)

According to the Catalan tax agency, this raised the total overnight tax for hotel guests to between $7.84 (€7.00) and $13.44 (€12.00) per person per night.

In September 2026, Barcelona also finalized plans to limit short-term travel tours.

According to the city council's official portal, Barcelona city council initially approved an increase in the municipal tourist tax for short-term cruise visitors to the legal limit of $27 per day.

Leap McGraw said the crowding was palpable in the tourist areas, the imamhalla where he lives largely shielded from the protests.

"How do you decide who is allowed to come and see Venice or Barcelona versus who isn't?"

"We were aware of this kind of anti-tourist sentiment before we arrived, which definitely weighed on our minds," he said.

"Some of Barcelona's most popular areas - like the Gothic Quarter, Las Ramblas, Sagrada Familia - can be incredibly crowded even on a random Tuesday afternoon," he added.

"I can understand how frustrating it is if you're a resident simply trying to get to work, run errands or go about your day," he added.

Lip McGraw has traveled to all seven continents and in his experience, mass tourism has affected many major cities.

"How do you decide who is allowed to come and see Venice or Barcelona versus who isn't?" he asked.

The influx of people to Barcelona's hot spots has sparked protests over short-term rentals and skyrocketing housing costs. (iStock)

However, the locals have been very welcoming to his family, he said.

"Everyone has welcomed us, even in everyday interactions at the store, the pharmacy, and dealing with a plumber," he said.

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"We try to make an effort to speak Spanish, learn the cultural norms... and I think trying to understand the culture, learn the language and respect the local customs goes a long way."